DOVER — As the Nike slogan goes, so too does the mantra of those working the polls as they prepare to tackle whatever Election Day 2012 brings to local polling locations — and for as many hours as it takes to get final vote counts.

“Just do it.”

Also the words of Madbury Town Moderator Dick Houghton, it will be that phrase that gets most of these workers and volunteers through what could be an historically long election day.

Moderators, town clerks and volunteers have been preparing for the day by being as informed as possible about new issues such as the voter identification law and voter registration laws, and by taking a proactive approach to running a smooth voting day.

Madbury will not only have Houghton, who’s been doing this for quite a few years, it will have plenty of volunteers to help out at the polls as well, he said.

And as far as any confusion over the voter ID law and voter registration, Houghton said there simply won’t be any.

“We know exactly what we need to do,” he said.

Many towns have already begun to receive their absentee ballots and will be taking time to count those, as well as check for more that arrive today.

“I get to sneak out and go to the bank, and come up here after the mail is delivered to make sure we don’t have any more absentee ballots,” Linda Reinhold, Lee town clerk, said.

Newmarket Town Clerk Becky Benvenuti will be working from about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday until well after midnight. Town officials have recruited 50 people to assist with this year’s general election. “We just try to think of every little detail, and we’ve been organizing for a good solid month in our office here, getting all of the stations ready with all the forms,” she said.

The polls will close at 8 p.m. in that town. Benvenuti said given the interest in the election, it would be “really good” to have results finalized by 10 p.m., but the official vote tally will likely come later in the evening.

“Sense of humor is what’s going to get us through,” she said. “Truly, that’s what we think is going to get us through tomorrow — trying to maintain a sense of humor, and humility and a sense of public service.”

Carol Ingham, New Durham town clerk, said the day could easily run 14 hours long, but that workers are ready to get through it just as they would any other election day.

While there isn’t much time to sneak off for a nap or to rally with energy supplements for what could potentially turn into a 14 hour-plus day, some are lightheartedly looking for just that small opportunity for a break in the day.

Home to the University of New Hampshire, Durham is expecting a hefty turnout of voters and since the town is not broken down into smaller wards as larger cities in the area are, it will be one-polling-site-fits-all at Oyster River High School.

Durham Town Moderator Chris Regan said that without breaking down into smaller wards, Durham becomes the largest precinct in the county.

“We’re anticipating a large number of voters,” he said, adding that if numbers are in line with the 2008 presidential election, there will be about 8,000 voters who show up.

Regan said he’ll arrive at the polls early at about 6:30 a.m. and hopes to be heading home by approximately 10 p.m.

Lorrie Pitt, Durham town clerk, said a lot of training has taken place, especially with the ballot clerks this year. This will be her third general election with the town.

“Being a university community we prepare for everything we think we might expect,” she said, adding that officials have things as planned out as possible and just try to stay ahead throughout the day.

What will help get her through the potentially marathon-long day?

“Deep breaths,” she laughed.

Roughly 70 volunteers will help with polling operations from ballot clerks to checking voter identification to helping same-day registrants in Durham, Regan said.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” he said of the volunteers.

Meals for election workers will be arranged through the school food service department throughout the day. The school will also be selling meals to political sign holders throughout the day and the voter protection and challenger personnel.

And unless there’s a lull in the expected steady stream of residents exercising their right to vote, there is also no break for workers in sight.

“Time off is five minutes in a corner and hoping that no one comes to get you,” Regan said.